Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha quietly dropped on Netflix ‘at the stroke of midnight hour’ on October 6. It was a surprise for fans, given Khan’s earlier proclamations that the film wouldn’t hit OTT platforms before six months of its theatrical release. However, only eight weeks it was! The official Bollywood adaptation of the multiple Academy Award-winner Forrest Gump had performed below par at the box office, collecting less than Rs 70 crore in India. On Netflix however, Laal Singh Chaddha has been the top viewed film in India over the weekend (Oct 8-9), according to streaming ratings provider FlixPatrol.
It ranked above Riteish Deshmukh-starrer romcom Plan A Plan B, Mila Kunis-starrer Netflix film Luckiest Girl Alive, and regional Indian titles like Saakini Daakini and Ranga Ranga Vaibhavanga. Incidentally, SS Rajamouli’s mammoth blockbuster RRR continued to feature in the top 10 most-viewed films on Netflix India, as per FlixPatrol. Laal Singh Chaddha, also featuring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Mona Singh in pivotal roles, seems to have gotten a fresh lease of life online. With positive word of mouth on Twitter and the ongoing festive season, the producers couldn’t have timed its OTT release better. Several viewers have raved about Aamir Khan’s performance and the music and cinematography of the film. “#LaalSinghChaddha is a cult classic. People are loving it now on Netflix. An incredible story will find its audience eventually!” tweeted a user.
Some people have also expressed bewilderment about the film’s commercial failure. Made at a reported budget of ~Rs 180 crore, Laal Singh Chaddha could only manage to collect Rs 130 crore worldwide, earning it the distinction of a ‘flop’. “Desh mein malaria faila tha, isliye Laal Singh Chaddha nahin chal paayi,” wrote another user, referring to the film’s analogy for communal tension.
Prior to its release, Laal Singh Chaddha faced boycott calls from right-wing corners, affecting the film’s opening day collections, which were reportedly the lowest for an Aamir Khan film in 13 years. Film trade analyst Taran Adarsh said on Twitter, “The fact is, these #Boycott calls *HAVE* made a dent and impacted the #BO numbers of #LaalSinghChaddha specifically…” Also Read: No waiting for six months! Laal Singh Chaddha premieres on Netflix within 2 months Also Read: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan’s ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ releases on Netflix